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FLI Hosts Sustainability Talk

Posted on Tuesday, April 02, 2013

On April 8, the Finger Lakes Institute at HWS will host Rob Englert, president of Ram Industrial Design and D-Build, and Susan Noble, executive director at Cornell Agriculture and Food Technology Park. Each will present around the topic of "Science and Technology's Role in Sustainability," exploring how science and technology can be used to promote better products, services and communities.

Offered as part of the FLI's Sustainable Community Development (SCD) series, the presentations will provide ideas to further encourage two opportunities in the Finger Lakes region and the Northeast: agriculture/food systems and an aging building stock.

Englert is founder and principal designer of Ram Industrial Design, a consultancy specializing in consumer products, user interactions and experiences. His discussion will address how technological advances such as 3D printing, augmented reality and open source web architecture (e.g. crowd sourcing/funding) impact the environment.

According to Englert, "Helping to fuel the Maker Movement, technology is allowing for creative solutions to our evolving environmental and social challenges."

Noble joined the Cornell Agriculture and Food Technology Park ("The Technology Farm") in May 2006 as assistant director. She was named executive director in 2009. The first building at Technology Farm is home to nine new businesses, creating a variety of innovative products. It is currently almost at capacity. The second building on the campus will be the Finger Lakes Community College's Viticulture Building, scheduled to open in the fall of 2014.

Her presentation is titled, "Innovation and Sustainability" and looks at whether it's possible to do research, create new products, bring them to market and still strive for sustainability. She argues, "In many cases, yes you can! This is a goal of the Tech Park in Geneva, NY?commercialize our innovations while protecting our environment."

The presentations will take place from 7 to 8:30 p.m., in the Geneva Room. They are free and open to the public.